Legislative Agenda

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA 2019 The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, located in Missouri’s third largest city, represents over 1,500 business and professional organizations that employ a combined total of more than 110,000 people living in southwest Missouri. The vision of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is to foster a culture and climate of opportunity through robust economic growth and dynamic job creation. The public policy initiative of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is member-oriented and volunteer-driven. Chamber staff and volunteers advocate with elected officials in Jefferson City on behalf of the Springfield metropolitan business community for issues that positively impact the state’s business climate. 14 BUSINESS CLIMATE WORKPLACE ISSUES Missouri’s business climate should foster job creation • Legislation that would increase workers’ compensation and growth. Balancing and strengthening the state’s costs by requiring employers to cover the cost of care employment laws will protect both employers and provided by employee-selected healthcare providers. employees through fairness and transparency. • An increase of the minimum wage. The Chamber supports: • Legislation that will shore up the unemployment JUDICIAL SYSTEM & TORT REFORM insurance trust fund including linking unemployment benefits to the rate of unemployment. An improved legal climate in Missouri is critical to business attraction for the state. • Right to work legislation because of the impact it would have on Missouri’s future economic prosperity. The Chamber supports: • Efforts to clarify and reform Missouri’s venue laws. • Legislation that allows employers to access prior workers’ compensation claims for prospective • Strengthening requirements for making claims under employees to screen for a history of fraudulent claims. the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA). • Legislation that would end joint and several liability • The establishment of an Asbestos Transparency Act and hold a defendant liable for only the percent of in Missouri. harm the defendant has caused. • Missouri’s non-partisan court plan and encourages • Continued review of Missouri’s existing prevailing continued analysis of the plan to identify wage laws to further improve certainty and opportunities for improvement, including additional predictability. citizen participation. The Chamber opposes: • Adequate funding for Greene County Judicial Courts • Legislation that would mandate limitations on an and facilities to ensure safe and efficient access to employer’s ability to fully screen a job applicant at justice, including an increase in the state’s allocation any time during the hiring process. to jail inmate per diem funding and increased funding for the public defender system. 1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT A strong pro-business climate is critical in competing for The Chamber opposes: jobs and economic growth. • Legislation that would allow businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender The Chamber supports: identity because of the anticipated negative • Proven tax credit programs that are competitive, economic consequences for the State of Missouri. performance-based, provide a positive return on the state’s investment and are not subject to the ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT appropriations process. The Chamber supports initiatives that would positively • Programs that leverage private investment and enhance the small business and entrepreneurial climate stimulate employment. in the state to encourage growth and development in this critical sector. • Policies that would provide for regional equity for key tax credit programs. The Chamber supports: • Programs that incentivize capital investment, small • The restoration and funding of Missouri’s research business assistance and access to early stage capital and development tax credit. and support. • Continued full funding of the Missouri Partnership. • The development of an angel investor tax credit to increase entrepreneurial access to risk capital. • The establishment of a deal closing fund to help the state secure economic development projects. • Strategic investments to develop Missouri’s research base to encourage entrepreneurship, including • Policies that strengthen domestic agriculture, restoration of funding for the Missouri Technology promote exports and ensure a safe and stable Corporation. food supply. 2 EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Developing and training the state’s future workforce • Funding for higher education programs like the is the key to our economic growth. Access to qualified MoExcels Workforce Development Grant Program workers is a top priority for Missouri businesses, and that are designed to meet specific workforce needs other states are significantly outperforming Missouri in in southwest Missouri. investment, flexibility and innovation related to state workforce efforts. • The use of Industry Recognized Credentials to better train individuals and to increase workforce The Chamber supports: productivity. • A comprehensive, robust approach to workforce development like Missouri One Start, to incentivize EDUCATION industry to grow or expand in Missouri and meet employers’ current and future needs. Continued investment in all levels of public education will ensure that a properly trained workforce will • Increased appropriations for Skilled Workforce be available to meet the needs and expectations of Missouri, formerly known as Missouri Works Missouri employers. customized training program, to meet existing demand for new and expanding businesses. EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION • Improving effectiveness of workforce training dollars through increased flexibility of state training The Chamber supports: programs and better alignment among state • Continued full funding of the current foundation agencies. formula for K - 12 public education to ensure Missouri’s educational system is competitive • Supplemental state funding to match federal and capable of effectively preparing tomorrow’s workforce training dollars to remain competitive workforce. and meet expanding employment needs. 3 • A set of rigorous standards for the fundamental The Chamber opposes: coursework that students encounter at each grade • Efforts to establish programs that would divert state level, while preserving local control of curriculum dollars from Springfield Public Schools or other high and instructional choices by educators to achieve performing districts. such standards. HIGHER EDUCATION • The protection of the authority of locally elected school boards to make decisions that impact students Investment in higher education is key in developing and families within their districts. Missouri’s workforce. The state’s current level of funding for higher education puts Missouri at a disadvantage to • The reduction or elimination of mandates for the peer states that invest at significantly higher levels. state’s public school systems that aren’t properly funded. The Chamber supports: • A performance and equity funding increase for public • Innovative approaches to encourage more students colleges and universities that would begin to address to move into high-demand fields such as IT, including the per student funding disparities between support for programs such as GO CAPS, the institutions around the state. availability of a computer science teacher certification and related funding for teacher professional learning • Continued funding for needs and merit-based at the K-12 level. scholarship programs such as Access Missouri and Bright Flight. • Increased funding for the Parents as Teachers program. • Support for Missouri’s A+ program to maximize access among high school students, as well as expansion • Only those charter schools that are authorized by of the program to increase degree and certification local boards of education and subject to the same attainment among adults. accountability standards as other Missouri public schools. • A $10 million appropriation to fund the initial development of the Center for Advanced • Efforts to incentivize school districts to partner Manufacturing and Technology. with businesses to improve employability and life skills beyond standardized test scores of academic • Appropriations of matching funds for capital projects standards. in the Springfield area that have been approved by the commissioner for higher education for • Increased appropriations for K-12 transportation distribution from the Higher Education Capital Fund. to meet the funding level defined in state statute. 4 FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY GOVERNANCE & TAXATION FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY & GOVERNANCE TAXATION The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce encourages The current tax rate is not a detriment to business responsible stewardship of state finances and a attraction efforts for the state. State tax reform should balanced state budget without placing undue tax be reasoned, data-driven, consider the long-term impact burdens on the business community or reducing the on the economy and support crucial state investments. effectiveness of essential state programs. The Chamber supports: The Chamber supports: • Legislation to create a mechanism to collect • Legislation that would improve the existing initiative existing sales tax for online transactions to address petition system, ensuring a fair and transparent the changing economy. process. • Limits on the expansion of local permitting and • The development of an effective fiscal note process regulatory requirements

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